1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animal collar assembly, and, more particularly, to an animal collar assembly including a radio frequency receiver for the modification of animal behavior.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stimulation devices are used for the modification of the behavior of an animal. The stimulation device is often associated with a collar worn by the animal and is provided to improve the behavior of the animal. Some stimulation devices include twin electrodes that are positioned against the skin of an animal, which delivers an electrical stimulus to modify the behavior of the animal. The stimulus can also be in the form of a vibration, an audible noise or other sensory stimulation to gain the attention of the animal.
A problem with known animal modification collars is that they allow the stimulation portion to be in a position in which it is not adequately coupled to the skin of the animal. When the stimulation portion of the collar is not adequately coupled, this leads to a lowered stimulation of the animal, which leads to ineffective training. To compensate for inadequate coupling to the skin the collar is often tightened, which can lead to discomfort to the animal. Another manner in which inadequate coupling to the skin is compensated for is to intensify the level of the stimulation, which can lead to over stimulation. These modifications of the stimulus device to overcome difficulties with coupling of the stimulation device to the animal can lead to less than optimal feedback to the animal.
It is well known to utilize a buckle on a collar, such as a belt buckle that is adjustable by selectively placing a pin attached to the buckle through a hole in the strap. The selection of the hole in the strap effectively adjusts the length of the belt around an object, such as the neck of an animal. The pin of the buckle is rotationally constrained by a transverse spar thereby preventing the variation in length of the belt once a hole is selected. The problem with conventional adjustable belts is that the selection of the hole in the strap is necessary each time the collar or belt is put in place about the neck of an animal.
What is needed in the art is a collar assembly, which provides adjustable yet quick coupling of the collar stimulation device to the animal.